


warm and fluffy (just like towels fresh out of the dryer)

by S_Hylor



Series: Bingo Round 1 2018 [6]
Category: The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Alpha Tony, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - College/University, Asexual Character, Asexual Relationship, M/M, Omega Steve, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Steve is a grumpy pumpkin, nobody tells me how to trope
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-17
Updated: 2018-06-17
Packaged: 2019-05-24 08:59:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14951612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/S_Hylor/pseuds/S_Hylor
Summary: Steve really hates this time of month.





	warm and fluffy (just like towels fresh out of the dryer)

**Author's Note:**

> Initially wanted this for my "back rubs/massages" bingo square, but Steve and Tony refused to get to that part, so instead I'm using this for my "AU: non-powered" square.

This time of the month has always been hell for Steve. He hates the hot feeling crawling beneath his skin, that occasionally flushes cold, making his shiver even as sweat beads on his skin. It makes it impossible to know if he wants to wrap himself in blankets or kick them off. Clothes irritate his skin, but he can’t stand the idea of not wearing them, even when slick soaks through his underpants.

He hates that he gets irritable and needy a few days before it comes, he hates that it makes people look at him like he’s something on display. Every cat call and wolf whistle from alphas makes his skin crawl and want to punch them in the face. He’d come close a few times, especially since he started college.

He hates that for a couple days he’s next to useless and isn’t allowed to go to classes. He can’t exactly afford to fall behind on his work at all, he’s barely clinging to the scholarships paying his way as it is.

It’s still early on in his heat cycle when he hears the apartment door open; he isn’t worried though, it’s Tony’s apartment, and only he and Tony have keys to it. It had become his safe haven during heats a year ago, when they’d first became friends. Tony had offered him a set of keys when he’d complained about hating going to the heat rooms on campus, hated sharing space with other omegas who all judged him for reacting the way he did to his heats.

He can smell Tony getting closer, sweat and hot metal, and that distinct scent of alpha that underlines everything else. It calms him down, makes him feel less irritable, which really only annoys him even more, that his body thinks it needs an alpha around. He doesn’t need Tony around, he tells himself that all the time. He wants Tony around, and that’s a difference. It’s his own choice, not his biology that is telling him what he wants.

He really likes Tony.

That’s got nothing to do with him being an alpha and everything to do with him being Tony.

“How’s it going, grumpy pumpkin?” Tony calls out as he comes into his room, dropping something by the door and coming over to the bed to nuzzle at the side of Steve’s neck. “Ugh, you’re sweaty and gross.”

“You smell like dick, knot head.” Steve grumbles in response, exaggerating the shudder of disgust.

Tony gasps in mock insult. “And to think I brought you all your favourite things too. Such an ungrateful grumpkin.”

Lifting his head up from the pillows, Steve eyes Tony wearily, shuddering in real disgust when he feels the first bit of slick trickle out of him.

Tony’s nostrils flare, pupils dilating a bit, until he shakes his head to clear it and turns back to the bags he’d brought. “Sorry I took so long, Hammer was on for a chat and I couldn’t quite shake him. Figured you’d rather I didn’t let him follow me all the way back here, so he’d be banging on the door whining like a stupid knot head.”

“Rather he didn’t.” He grouches in response, trying to shift so he can sit up, without pushing out any more slick. “He drools and stinks like an alpha.”

Tony gives him another look of feigned insult. “I don’t know if I should take offence to that or not.”

Waving a hand in dismissal, Steve reaches towards on the bags Tony had set down, grabbing one of the sports drinks he can see poking out the top. It’s the blue one, because Tony knows it’s his favourite. “You don’t smell like a stinky alpha, you smell like you.”

Tony just raises an eyebrow.

“That’s a good thing, dumbarse.” He counters around the rim on the bottle, holding out his other hand expectantly.

“Okay, favourite things coming right up.” Tony replies, picking up a bag and setting it on the edge of the bed, starting to pull things out of it. “Clean towels, fresh out of the dryer, just how you like them.”

He chucks the towel on the bed, deliberately looking elsewhere when Steve grabs one and pushes it between his legs. It’s still warm against his bare thighs.

“One used workshop singlet, though I have no idea why you like them so much.” He hands over the grease stained item of clothing, not looking away at all as Steve pulls off his t-shirt and throws it away, pulling the singlet on in its place, letting the cotton hang off his bony frame as he pulls the collar up to his nose.

“I don’t know either. It’s just comfy and smells like you.” He mumbles into the collar, feeling calmer and less gross than before. He knows Tony is staring at him, jaw a little slack, pupils blown, but he doesn’t mind it so much, because he knows Tony’s never going to try anything. Never going to force him to do anything he doesn’t want to.

Tony shrugs after a moment, breathing deep and letting it out on an exaggerated groan of disgust. “And last and definitely least, you’re stupid favourite movie of all time.”

He drops the case for Transformers on the bed like it burnt him. Steve glares at him over the collar of his acquired singlet. “Favourite comfort movie, not favourite movie of all time.”

He gets an eye roll in response, but Tony picks up the DVD case and crosses over to the television on the opposite side of the room. “I do not know how you can even like this movie, it’s terrible. It’s a travesty! An insult to all the Transformers cartoons and toys and I never had as a child.”

Shrugging again, Steve settles back onto the bed, adjusting the towel so it’s a little higher between his legs, lifting his hips and dragging the other towel beneath him to protect the sheets. He keeps his nose tucked under the collar of Tony’s singlet once he’s settled. “I just like the explosions and Bumblebee.”

“Of course you do, my killer honeybee.” Tony replies as he flops onto the bed beside Steve, jostling them both until the mattress settles. “You just love the sound of Michael Bay having an orgasm.”

Making a retching noise, Steve reaches behind him to swat at Tony, barely connecting with his thigh. “Don’t be gross.”

“The explosions, sweetheart, I meant the explosions.” Murmuring reassurance, Tony shifts closer on the bed, taking a moment to settle with Steve’s back against his chest, head propped up on one hand so he can see the television. He wraps his other arm around Steve’s middle, hand settling flat against his stomach.

Shifting slightly he moves Tony’s hand a little lower, until it’s a warm, heavy weight covering the worse of the cramps. “Now shut up and let me watch this movie, even if that is impossible for you.”

Leaning closer to nuzzle at the hair behind Steve’s ear, Tony shakes his head, feeling fine hair tickle his nose. “I make no such promises. This movie deserves to be criticised. But to make it up to you, I bought you that really expensive, fun stuff free chocolate you like.”

“It’s not that I like it, Tony, its just that it’s the only chocolate that likes me.” He grumbles in reply, wriggling back until he’s tucked closer to Tony, letting his warmth and scent wrap around him in a way that’s all too comforting.

“Keep wriggling like that and we’re both gonna be uncomfortable.” Tony groans against the back of his neck, sounding like he’s grit his teeth.

Falling instantly still, Steve squeezes his hand over the back of Tony’s. “Sorry.”

“I can deal with an inappropriate boner if you can deal with it maybe nudging you in the back occasionally.” Tony replies, sounding rather uncomfortable. “I’ll try not let it touch you.”

Squeezing Tony’s hand, Steve rolls his eyes, wriggling until he’s able to look over his shoulder at Tony. “It’s just a penis, Tony. I have one too. It’s not like I have an irrational fear of them, I just don’t want one in me. Ever.”

“I know, gorgeous.” Tony mumbles, but there’s still a pinched guilty look on his face when he leans down and kisses Steve’s forehead. “Just let me feel some irrational guilt about being a dumb knot head and that’ll be enough of a boner killer that I’m not constantly thinking about it all day.”

“You know you don’t have to be here if you don’t want to.” Steve counters, mumbling into the collar of his borrowed singlet, but he can’t stop himself from tightening his grip on Tony’s hand.

Rolling his eyes, Tony blows a raspberry at him. “Don’t be dumb, heat’s fried your brain, obviously. Shut up that talk. I’m here because I want to be, because you want me to be. And as long as you can deal with the fact I might occasionally forget and try to hump your leg, we’re all good.”

Ignoring the movie, Steve rolls over trying to keep the towel clamped between his legs. Tucking his head against Tony’s shoulder he loops an arm around his waist and snuggles up against him. “You have never once done that, no matter how much often you say you might. Now just cuddle me and stop talking about dicks.”


End file.
